The prior art is replete with numerous different types of remote control keypads for controlling electronic devices. Remote control digital keypads are commonly used to control numerous different types of electronic devices, such as television sets, stereos, video cassette recorders or CD recorders, computers, video games, as well as many different household electrical appliances. These control keypads are configured in a variety of shapes and sizes for ease of use by an operator in the home. Most control keypads include a plurality of raised "buttons" which are marked with numeric, alphanumeric, and/or other symbolic indicia for entering channel or station numbers, or for initiating or controlling a certain task.
Prior art remote control keypads come in a variety of shapes and sizes for use by one or two hands. Single hand remote control keypads include such devices as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,510 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,408 which disclose remote control input keypads for single hand operation. These devices are ergonomically designed to fit in one hand for facilitating multiple key character input. These devices, however, are provided with only a small number of keys, each of which control numerous letters and numbers. As such, the user must memorize numerous button configurations and sequences in order to type the desired letter or number.
Other prior art remote control keypad units require the use of both hands, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,055 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,397. These prior art devices are designed to be held in one hand while the second hand is used to depress one or more the numerous input control buttons or operation keys positioned on the unit's keypad. As these devices require the use of both hands, use in the dark is often difficult. Additionally, if the user is using the remote control keypad unit for controlling a television and desires to change the channel, the user must divert his or her attention from the program being watched in order to view the numerical keypad, locate the desired button, and input the new desired channel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,449 there is disclosed a pyramid shaped ergonomic keyboard for use with a personal computer. This device requires the placement of both hands upon the keyboard for the input of letters and numbers. This device, however, is designed exclusively for computer use and comprises a detailed layout of various letters and numbers with which the user must familiarize his or herself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,068 teaches a remote control unit for controlling a television and which is shaped like a pistol or handgun such that a television viewer holds the remote control unit like a gun and changes the channels on the television by pointing the gun-shaped remote control at the television and pulling the trigger to "shoot" the channel to change the program by directing an infrared light beam to a receiver on the television or on a VCR. The handgrip portion of the gun-shaped remote control is provided with switches and buttons for entering the channel numbers, raising and lowering the volume and turning on and off the television or VCR, in addition to a variety of other switches and buttons which control specialized features. Also, this remote control may not comfortably fit in the hands of all users. Additionally, many people have strong feelings against the use of guns and some households may thus desire not to use gun-shaped objects within their homes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,275 directed to an apparatus and method for controlling a television receiver teaches a remote control which comprises a keyboard for entering channels, and a rotary encoder which controls the volume and on-screen displays. This remote control, however, requires precision in using the rotary encoder in order to obtain the desired volume, and in addition, requires the user to scroll through numerous on-screen displays which interrupts the user's viewing of the television program being watched.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,625 there is disclosed a folding electronic device in the form of a folding remote controller for a television set. The remote controller comprises a folding case consisting of a first case and a second case connected to one another by a pivotal hinge. Both the first and second case are provided with a plurality of input means and control buttons thereon for changing channels, controlling volume, color, contrast, etc. The hinge connection allows the first and second case to be folded upon one another to provide a compact unit when not in use. However, because of the compactness of this device when the first and second case are folded together, there is a likelihood that the device may be easily lost or displaced. Additionally, the hinged connection of the first and second case provides a potential for easy breakage or separation thus rendering the remote control inoperable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,369 discloses a function switch arrangement for a hand-held remote control unit. The remote control unit comprises a housing having a pair of spaced parallel handgrips. Located forwardly of the handgrips and extending between them is a console having a function switch mounting surface with a V-shaped horizontal profile. An array of thumb actuated function switches is located on the console and arranged in upper and lower rows for easy access and control by the operator's thumbs. A pair of trigger switches, which effectuate proportional control by the functions initiated by the aforementioned thumb function switches, are mounted on the underside of the handgrips within range of operator's forefinger. A safety disabling switch is located beneath the function switch rows and extends transversely between the handgrip frame members so that it may also be activated by either of the operator's thumbs without disturbing the operator's grip on the unit. This device is large and bulky and is not directed for use in controlling television sets and electrical household appliances, but rather is designed for operating radio controlled airplanes and boats.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,621 teaches a combinatorial keyboard which encodes characters and spaces. This reference teaches a keyboard for a typewriter or computer which comprises two groups of keys for operation by the fingers of two hands of an operator. Each group of keys comprises five home keys arranged in a first single continuous row for each hand, and means for decoding operation of the keys to provide signals representative of characters. This device, however, requires a variety of functions by each finger and is directed to producing letters and/or numbers upon a piece of paper or upon a computer monitor screen; it is not adapted for use as a remote control for changing channels on a television set.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,163 discloses a digital keypad for controlling electrical devices and which includes tactile keys circularly arranged on the controller in a clock face pattern and including a handle portion which is detachably connected perpendicularly to the horizontal controller key pad, and which includes a trigger for transmitting signals to the electrical device. The keys are marked with numeric indicia in sequential numeric order from 1 to 12, each switch being radially spaced 30-degrees apart. In use, the handle is grasped in one hand and the second hand is used to depress the keys arranged on the controller. After inputting the desired keys, the trigger on the handle is depressed to transmit the signal. The provision of the handle in this device, however, renders this device large and bulky. Additionally, the user is still required to use one hand to grasp the handle while the second hand is used to locate and depress the keys on the controller keypad.
Another two-handed keypad device for controlling electronic devices is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,693. This device comprises a controller unit having a pair of handles on each end which diverge toward the user for gripping within the user's hands. Each handle of the controller unit is provided with control sections which include a plurality of key elements arranged on the top surface as well as other controls on the lower and side surfaces of the control sections of the handles. This device, however, is directed for use with electronic video games and is not provided with numeric or letter keys, but is rather provided with directional controls only.
Accordingly, there is a need for a numeric, alphanumeric, and/or other symbolic remote control keypad unit for controlling electronic devices with simplicity and ease and which can be operated in a rapid manner which does not require excess finger strokes and which does not tire the user's eyes during operation of the device in which the finger is specialized to a specific button or switch, and which does not require the user to divert his or her eyes from the viewing screen to look for the buttons.